The content team at Channel Partners Newsletter tracks stories of interest to the technology advisor and wider channel communities. Anyone selling communication and connectivity solutions will want to stay abreast of these developing stories or catch up on ones they have missed. Leveraging ChatGPT and AI tools developed by Informa, we’ve compiled a roundup based on story traffic, mentions, impressions, reposts, and social media engagement. All links are valid as of Dec. 10.

Most Exciting Telecom News: Musk vs. Bezos in Satellite Race

Satellite is eating the world. Or at least the news cycle. And some of it will directly affect the telecom space. Reuters reported that Elon Musk's SpaceX is moving ahead with plans for an initial public offering that would seek to raise at least $30 billion and target a valuation of about $1.5 trillion. However, Amazon Leo is coming onto the scene with an apparently good relationship with President Trump. Fierce Network has the rundown.

Comcast's Bid for Warner Bros. was Cash-Light

As Netflix and Paramount Skydance fight over Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Comcast President Mike Cavanagh explained why Comcast bid but didn't come in with the cash-rich offers that the others put forward. Speaking Monday at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference, Cavanagh said Comcast wasn't confident from the get-go that it would come away with WBD's streaming and studio assets. Read the Light Reading story.

AT&T Plays Hardball on T-Mobile Easy Switch Claims

In its lawsuit complaining about T-Mobile’s “Easy Switch” tool, AT&T said “this case is not about competition for customers.” T-Mobile’s response? Oh, it’s all about the customer. The dispute is over the T-Mobile “Easy Switch” AI tool unveiled last month. The tool, which is part of the T-Life app, allows AT&T and Verizon customers to compare their wireless plans against competing T-Mobile plans via their mobile phones. The promise is that a customer can switch an account over to T-Mobile within 15 minutes. Read the Fierce Network story.

Intelisys Targets High-Growth Partners with New Strategy

Partners say tech services distributor Intelisys has regained stability with a re-focused partner engagement model and a new route to market. After facing executive turnover and competitive pressures in 2023 and 2024, the ScanSource-owned TSD forged a new identity this year. The company firmed up relationships with loyal, high-growth technology advisors and is using its new SaaS marketplace as an on-ramp for non-traditional sales partners. Read the Channel Dive story.

Ericsson, Nokia Prepare for end of Gs

Every decade or so, governments charge telcos billions of dollars for the rights to send mobile signals over a crisp new slice of electromagnetic spectrum. The birth of another generation of mobile technology is an exciting and potentially lucrative time for the suppliers to those telcos, too. New spectrum requires new radios. Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia, Samsung and ZTE, the world's biggest radio access network (RAN) vendors, look forward to the launch of a G like a toymaker awaiting Christmas. But Light Reading sees telcos’ enthusiasm waning for the next G. Read the Light Reading story.

AT&T Leans Heavily on Fixed Broadband Stickiness

Speaking at the annual UBS Global Media & Communications Conference, AT&T CEO John Stankey painted a positive picture of AT&T's financial position, reiterating its full-year and longer-term guidance. Stankey pointed to a stronger earnings result than we might have expected. AT&T was shooting for a 3% or better uplift this year. “It will be better," Stankey said. During his talk, it became clear that everything comes back to AT&T's burgeoning fibre business and ongoing convergence play. Read the Telecoms story.

AppDirect Acquisition Takes ISVs, TAs Deep Into Cloud Marketplaces

AppDirect is expanding its hyperscaler marketplace footprint with the acquisition of Tackle.io. The B2B commerce platform will acquire Tackle’s cloud sales capabilities for an undisclosed sum. Tackle offers go-to-market services for independent software vendors that transact on Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure marketplaces. Read about it on Channel Dive.